What is a Danish national park? In Denmark, national parks are a rather new phenomenon. The first national park, located in Thy, was opened in August 2008, and additional national parks will open over the next 2-3 years. Currently, four other areas have been nominated as national parks in Denmark; Mols Bjerge, Skjern Å, the Wadden Sea and Kongernes Nordsjælland. Prior to these nominations, there has been a long democratic process in which the local community has contributed with knowledge and involvement. Establishment of the national parks is based on broad local support. Each national park will have a decentralised management, consisting of a board, a national park council and a secretariat. The board and its chairman are to be appointed by the Danish Minister for the Environment. As far as possible, all members of the board will have close connections to the national park area. The board must prepare a plan for the operation and development of the national park. The local community will be asked to participate in this process. Development of the national parks will take place over a number of years, and will be based on voluntary agreements and local support. What does a Danish national park hold? A Danish national park holds some of Denmark's most unique and valuable nature areas and landscapes. These are areas of importance to the Danes, but which are also given and will receive international attention and significance. National parks also include areas which have already been nominated as international nature protection areas (NATURA 2000 areas). The aim is for Danish national parks to cover the most important nature types of Denmark. The forests and the open countryside with cultivated fields, grazing and hedgerows will be included together with small villages and urban communities. A national park may cover both land and sea. The Danish national parks are not museums. People live, work and stay in the Danish national parks. Part of the national parks is privately owned.
The individual national parks have broadly different contents, and therefore it is a good idea to look for information about the individual national park in which you are interested to find out what exactly can be experienced there. What is allowed in Danish national parks? Anyone can move around a national park free of charge. However, there may be guided tours for which you must pay. The same rules apply to travelling in the national parks as apply outside the national parks. It will not always be clear where a national park starts or ends; there are no fences around the Danish national parks. More information can be obtained at the local tourist agency. Full text: Tourist in a Danish national park MORE INFORMATIONDanish Ministry of the Environment - Topics
